Jan 9
Gospel Star Donnie McClurkin Sued by Former Assistant Alleging Years of Sexual Abuse and Coercive “Deliverance” Practices
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Grammy‑winning gospel singer and pastor Donnie McClurkin is facing a civil lawsuit in New York alleging he sexually assaulted and abused a former personal assistant for more than a decade, including during so‑called spiritual “deliverance” sessions aimed at suppressing same‑gender attraction.
The lawsuit was filed in New York County Supreme Court on Friday, January 2, 2026, by plaintiff Giuseppe Corletto, who worked for McClurkin in the mid‑2000s and later at McClurkin’s church, Perfecting Faith Church in Freeport, New York. Court documents identify McClurkin as a 66‑year‑old New York resident and describe Corletto as a onetime mentee and church staff member who was in his late teens when he first met the singer.
Corletto alleges that McClurkin subjected him to multiple instances of sexual assault, sexual battery, and coercive sexual contact from about 2004 through 2015, beginning shortly after Corletto started working as his assistant. The complaint states that McClurkin used his position as an acclaimed gospel artist and pastor to cultivate a mentor‑mentee relationship and deep spiritual dependence.
According to the lawsuit, McClurkin led private “pray the gay away” or “deliverance” sessions in which he claimed he could help Corletto overcome same‑gender attraction, allegedly groping Corletto’s genitals without consent during prayer and counseling. The filings assert that McClurkin also arranged encounters between Corletto and other men that he framed as “tests from God, ” while maintaining spiritual authority over whether Corletto was “delivered. ”
One of the most detailed allegations centers on a 2007 trip to California, where Corletto traveled with McClurkin, McClurkin’s family, and Corletto’s then‑girlfriend. In a hotel room during that trip, McClurkin allegedly exposed himself, forcibly kissed Corletto, groped his body, and then compelled him to engage in anal sex, according to the complaint. When Corletto later confronted McClurkin, the singer allegedly denied remembering the incident, blamed medication, and suggested Corletto bore responsibility, which the lawsuit describes as psychological manipulation.
The complaint further alleges additional sexual assaults at McClurkin’s church between 2007 and 2008, during which Corletto says he tried to resign several times but was told his “deliverance” and spiritual purpose were tied to remaining with McClurkin. Corletto claims he reported the alleged misconduct to some church staff members but that no action was taken.
Even after leaving his staff role, Corletto says the abuse continued. In 2012, while he was training for an airline job in Orlando, Florida, McClurkin allegedly appeared uninvited at his hotel room, pleaded for “one last time, ” and later raped him after Corletto fell asleep, according to the lawsuit. The filing also describes a 2013 trip to Niagara Falls, where McClurkin allegedly assaulted Corletto again and then sent a follow‑up email apologizing.
That email, included in the court papers, purportedly shows McClurkin calling himself a “desperate dirty ‘old man’” and acknowledging, “I forced myself on you … groping you, ” while stating that Corletto had not initiated the contact. The lawsuit alleges McClurkin later continued sexual misconduct after Corletto returned to the church in 2015 amid mental health struggles, claiming the pastor exploited his vulnerability.
Corletto asserts that he has suffered emotional distress, physical pain, and lasting trauma, and he is seeking a jury trial, compensatory damages, legal fees, and additional damages. As of early January, attorneys for McClurkin had not filed a formal response in court, and major outlets report that representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit is reverberating strongly because of McClurkin’s prominent public record of speaking against LGBTQ+ identities and advocating “deliverance” from same‑gender attraction. Over the years, he has described himself in interviews as having been “delivered from homosexuality, ” language widely associated with “ex‑gay” or conversion‑style rhetoric that major medical and psychological associations have rejected as harmful and ineffective.
LGBTQ+ advocates and survivors’ groups say the allegations underscore the dangers of mixing anti‑LGBTQ+ theology with unlicensed, spiritually framed attempts to change a person’s sexual orientation. Organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and the American Psychological Association have repeatedly documented how practices often described as “conversion therapy” or “deliverance” are linked to increased depression, anxiety, and suicidality among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning people.
For many LGBTQ+ people within Black church traditions, the case raises painful questions about consent, spiritual authority, and the use of religious rhetoric to justify or conceal abuse. Advocates stress that affirming faith communities exist across denominations and that survivor‑centered responses must prioritize the safety and dignity of LGBTQ+ congregants and staff.
The lawsuit against McClurkin remains at an early stage, and no criminal charges related to these specific allegations have been announced. Legal and LGBTQ+ advocacy groups are watching closely, framing the case as part of a broader reckoning with alleged abuse and anti‑LGBTQ+ practices in some religious settings.
